Music sheet and book supporter for pianos and organs



(No Model.

H WORRALL MUSIG SHEET AND BOOK SUPPORTER FOR PIANOS AND ORGANS,

No. 336,613. Patented Feb. 23, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARVEY WORRALL, or TOPEKA, KANSAS.

MUSIC SHEET AND BOOK SUPPORTER FOR PIANOS AND ORGANS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,613, dated February 3. 1885- Application filed May 27, 1885. Serial No. 166,823. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARVEY WORRALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Topeka, in the county of Shawnee and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Music Sheet and Book Supporters for Pianos and Organs, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to prevent the tearing and abrasion of the edges of music-sheets and the leaves of music-books when mounted. to their place upon the piano and organ by coming in contact with the stop-strip of the book-rack when they are turned by or for the performer.

My device is illustrated by the following drawings, in which Figure 1 represents the device complete in place and in working order when the book is used. Fig. 2 represents a similar view when the sheet is in use. Fig. 3 shows the device alone from the face, fitted to receive and support the book; and Fig. 4 shows the opposite face of the device fitted to receive the sheet. Fig. 5 shows another substantial form of my device in so far as it is designed for a book-supporter.

Similar letters represent similar parts in the several views.

The device consists substantially of two boards, A, identical as to material and form, constructed of any desired material and proportions as to length, breadth, and thickness, united at one edge, as in case of the two lids of the cover of a book, by the back B, of any desired breadth.

Within about an inch or so of the edge of the two lids or boards A, which rest upon the piano or organ, as is the present common custom in case of a music sheet or book, a channeled ledge, O, is provided upon one side of each board A, extending nearly or quite across their respective widths. This channeled ledge may be constructed of any suitable material, and may be secured to the boards in any desired manner. The width of the channel in this ledge should be sufficient to receive readily the lid of the cover of the music-book I) which is to be dropped into it. The depth of the channel should at the same time be sufficient to provide for the lid a secure lodgment therein.

When my improvement is constructed as now described, and placed upon a piano or organ, where and as the sheet or book is now placed for the player, and the book is placed against it, the lids alone of the box dropping into the channeled ledges C, the leaves of the book are left free to be turned backward or forward, and theirlower edges are lifted quite above the stop-strip E of the book and sheet rack, and so the possibility of the leaf of the book being torn by it when the leaf is turned by or for the player is entirely done away with, at the same time the greatest possible facility is afforded for turning the leaf. Again, similar provision is made for the music-sheet by securing to one of the boards A upon its opposite side, near to the uniting-back B, a stiff wire, 2', preferably of steel, at one end, 00, and providing an eye or catch, y, into which the free end of this wire may be passed, and by which it may be held down against the sheets after this sheet has been put into place against the boards A, the ledge not being required for the support of the music-sheet. It is now readily seen that my device may also serve the purpose of a portfolio for either the musicsheet or for the book.

The ledge 0, upon which the book rests, may be plain or unchanneled; but its full purpose is best subserved when it is channeled as in the drawings.

Another substanthl form of my device, in so far as it acts as a book-supporter, is supplied by two channeled strips of wood or other suitable material, of the desired length, breadth, and thickness, connected together in any suitable manner at their ends, or remaining disunited. The channel, too, may be plowed out by a cutting plane, or it may be formed by properly securing to the 0pposite sides of a strip of wood or other material still wider strips, and they may be made to incline'somewhat toward each other, pivoted at one end and adapted to engage 10 so as to clasp the lids of the book when their in a catch at the other end, the whole conedges are pressed into the channels. structed, combined, and operating substan- WVhat I claim as myinvention, and desire to tially as and for the purpose hereinbefore de- 5 secure by Letters Patent, is scribed.

A music sheet and book supporter for pi- HARVEY WORRALL. anos and organs, consisting of the boards A, Witnesses:

connected by the union B, in combination J. B. LARIMER, with the channeled ledge O, and the Wire 1, l

W. H. POOR. 

